Author: Serkadis

Via Prison Planet.com » Prison Planet

James Delingpole
London Telegraph
May 24, 2010

The voice of Scar in the Lion King has spoken:

“We must live more sustainably,” he growls from Pride Rock – as he probably doesn’t call a single one of his seven homes, not even the pink castle in Co Cork, because in real life he’s not a lion at all but a Sherborne-educated luvvie who takes himself very, very seriously called Jeremy Irons. (Hat tip: Brown Bess)

Irons has just announced his plans to become an eco-campaigner. He wants to be a bit like Michael Moore, he says, only not “as silly”. Sounds fun, Jezza. Tell us more.

The increasing global population would put an intolerable strain on the world’s resources, Irons said, and the gulf between developing countries and westerners living a bountiful “pie-in-the-sky” existence must be addressed.

“One always returns to the fact that there are just too many of us, the population continues to rise and it’s unsustainable,” he said in an interview with The Sunday Times. “I think we have to find ways where we’re not having to scrap our effluent junk and are a really sustainable planet.”

Full article here

Last week, the news came out that Pennsylvania Attorney General (and gubernatorial candidate), Tom Corbett, was so thin-skinned that he had subpoenaed Twitter to try to get at the identity of some anonymous online critics. Of course, all this really did was draw attention to (a) the criticism of Corbett and (b) his incredibly thin skin when it comes to criticism. Twitter, thankfully, didn’t just roll over, and now Corbett has dropped the subpoena. Of course, one of the reasons Corbett was trying to unmask the identity of the commenter was because he believed it may have been someone he had already targeted in a political corruption scandal — who was being sentenced on Friday. However, without being able to identify the user by the time of the sentencing, he couldn’t use that in pushing for a tougher sentence. So, in the end, Corbett didn’t get what he was after, but called a lot more attention to criticism of him. Nice work.

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2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

At the production launch of the new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee on Friday, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said that a total of 1,080 employees will staff a second shift with nearly all new hires at its Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit. The news spread excitement and interest in many job seekers looking for new employment; however, there’s some bad news – Chrysler isn’t accepting any applications.

Click here to get prices on the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

“We have enough people who have already applied,” said Chrysler spokeswoman Shawn Morgan.

Nonetheless, Chrysler is not discouraging applicants from monitoring its job search site since it could need to add people as the economy grows and sales increase. New hires by Chrysler will be paid an hourly wage of about $14, which is well below what an experienced worker makes. The wage was agreed to by the UAW in a 2007 national agreement with Chrysler, General Motors and Ford.

The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is in production now and will go on sale next month with prices starting at $30,995.

Click here for more news on the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee:

– By: Omar Rana

Source: Free Press

Via Prison Planet.com » Prison Planet

James Slack
UK Daily Mail
Monday, May 24th, 2010

Council snoopers have used a controversial Big Brother anti-terror law to spy on people making unwanted donations to charity shops.

Covert cameras were placed inside shop windows to film anyone who left bags of books, clothes or CDs outside a branch with a view to prosecuting them for ‘fly-tipping’.

The extraordinary operation was among 8,575 instances of town halls using covert surveillance rights granted under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act against the public in the past two years.

It is the equivalent of 11 secret missions being carried out by bureaucrats every day.

They range from undercover patrols for dog walkers whose animals are suspected of breaking dog-fouling rules to spying on their own staff and on smokers believed to be flouting the nationwide ban.

Full article here

Via Prison Planet.com » World News

Nir Hasson
Haaretz
Monday, May 24th, 2010

After having served 18 years for leaking Israeli nuclear secrets, Mordechai Vanunu begins serving additional 3 months for violating terms of his parole.

Nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu, released in 2004 after 18 years in prison for leaking Israeli nuclear secrets, began serving an additional 3-month sentence on Sunday for refusing to carry out court-mandated community service.

“I survived 18 years – I could survive another six,” Vanunu called out outside the Jerusalem District Court. “Are you trying to discipline me? You cannot take my freedom of expression away”

“Freedom is freedom. You won’t get from me in three months what you didn’t get in 18 years,” he added.

Full article here

Via Prison Planet.com » World News

Peggy Hollinger
Financial Times
Monday, May 24th, 2010

Expectations are growing that France is set to remove the right to retire at 60, as it embarks on a contentious reform of its debt-laden pension system and brings public finances back into line.

Christian Estrosi, industry minister, yesterday said the government was “leaning towards an increase in the [retirement] age” in its talks with unions and employers’ federations, despite denials from cabinet ministers over the weekend of a decision being taken.

Although there has been much speculation that France’s legal retirement age of 60 – one of the lowest in Europe – would be abandoned, Mr Estrosi’s comments on national radio are the clearest statement yet of government intentions.

His comments are likely to give ammunition to unions planning a national strike on Thursday to protest against spending cuts and pension reforms.

Full article here

The British Scriptwriter Simon Monjack died of a heart attack at age 39 at his home in Los Angeles after her wife Brittany Murphy died just five months ago because of pneumonia complicated by anemia.

Monjack was found unconscious last night (9:24 PM) in his bedroom by his mother, Sharon Kathleen Murphy. Unfortunately for his mother, Murphy was announced dead at the scene when emergency services arrived.

Monjack was the director, producer and writer of the B-movie Two Days, Nine Lives in 2000. He also received credits for the biopic Factory Girl about the actress and model Edie Sedgwick. “Monjack had nothing to do with the ‘Factory Girl’”, Director George Hickenlooper said. The director claims that Monjack somewhat stolen his script.

Alongside career troubles, Monjack also have Legal troubles as well: Warrants were issued for him in Virginia in 2005 for credit card fraud, Coutts sued Monjack for evicting them from four homes, Monjack spent 9 days in prison in February 2007 for staying in the United States with an expired visa.

Related posts:

1. Charlotte Lewis Sexually Abused by Polanski
2. Lindsay Lohan in court after returning to Los Angeles
3. Delonte West–Gloria James Affair Confirmed!Calvin Murphy Proved “LeBron James’ Mom’s Affair”

It’s not every month that we get a haul like this one, but here you are, the best pickings of the season sitting in one basket, and in different flavors, too. RPGs, strategy games, racers, adventures, puzzles

Cosworth officially revealed today the Subaru Impreza STI CS400 and announced that the car will go on sale in June. What is so special about this new model?

Well, the new car delivers an impressive 400 PS (395 bhp) @ 5,750 rpm and is capable to hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.7 seconds (the standard version of the car carries 300 PS/ 296 bhp @ 6,000 rpm and hits 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds). The new Cosworth Subaru Impreza STI CS400 will include a new brake package with six-pot callipers and 355mm discs at the front, which was developed in cooperation with AP Racing. AP Racing is known as the company producing the brakes for the Bugatti Veyron but is also known as the leading supplier of brake and clutch components to teams in the Formula One but also from the World Rally Championship!

[via evo]

Source: Car news, Car reviews, Spy shots

The 2-hour season finale of The Celebrity Apprentice 2010 last night reveals Bret Michaels as the new Celebrity apprentice.

The 47-year-old rocker Bret Michaels beats former 21 Jump Street queen Holly Robinson Peete on NBC’s “The Celebrity Apprentice.”

In last night’s finale, Bret and Holly both lead their teams to create marketing and advertising campaigns for their new flavors of Snapple drink. After completing the task, Michaels invented a Trop-A-Rocka Blend while Peete came up with the Compassionberry Tea. Both finalists won Donald Trump’s heart with their invented tea flavor.

After Cyndi Lauper performed her new song, “I’m Just a Fool for You,” Donald Trump finally announced Bret Michaels as the third Celebrity Apprentice and awarded the $250,000 bonus check for his charity of choice, the American Diabetes Association.

Holly Robinson Peete also received a $250,000 bonus check for her own HollyRod Foundation that supports families facing a serious illness.

American singer Bret Michaels is best known as the lead vocalist of the glam metal band Poison. Besides his band’s booming career, he also have several solo albums.

Related posts:

1. Celebrity Apprenctice Winner 2010: After All Sacrifices Everything Comes To An End
2. Ron Burkle donated a whopping amount of $200,000 to Holly Robinson Peete
3. $50,000 Donation made by Ron Burkle

A documentary movie about the sinking of MTS Oceanos on August 4, 1991 will air tonight at NBC.

MTS Oceanos was a French-built and Greek-owned cruise ship. The passenger cruise ship sank August 4, 1991. On board were 581 passengers and crew. It was sailing from Cape Town, South Africa via East London to Durban. The Greek cruise liner Oceanos sank off the Transkei in an area called Coffee Bay off the Wild Coast.

The sinking of the MTS Oceanos was one of the most horrific events in the history of South Africa. The sea where it sank is known for treacherous currents and several ships have sunk there.

During that evening, the storm worsened and when the first sitting of dinner was served, the waiters could hardly carry the trays of food without dropping something. The ship was then rolling about from side to side so badly that crockery and cutlery began sliding off the tables and potted plants were falling over.

Captain Yiannis Avranas was accused by passengers for ordering his crew to leave the ship without informing the passengers and without ringing the emergency alarm. The passengers only came to know when thwy witnessed lower deck filled with sea water.

571 passengers were saved by the South African Navy and Air Force during the rescue operation that lasted for seven hours.

Related posts:

1. Huge Wave Hits Cruise Ship in Mediterranean Sea
2. South Korea: Ship Sank from “External Blast”
3. South Korea Accused North Korea for Firing Torpedo that Killed 46

Volkswagen will announce Tuesday that it will take a 90 percent stake in Italdesign Giugiaro S.p.A, people familiar with the matter told Automotive News Europe.

The Giugiaro family will retain 10 percent in the Italian design house that is famous for styling cars such as the first-generation VW Golf.

VW plans to acquire control of Italdesign to help reach its goal of becoming the world’s largest automaker by 2018 with sales of 10 million vehicles a year. To reach that goal, VW’s 10-brand group, including Porsche, will need more designers and engineers. In 2010 alone, VW group plans to add 60 models, including upgrades.

Italdesign, co-founded by Giorgetto Giugiaro in 1968, currently has 975 employees and 800 computer aided design workstations.

Giorgetto Giugiaro, 71, who is Italdesign chairman, and his son, Fabrizio, 45, who heads the design and model division, are expected to continue working at the company following the VW takeover.

Italdesign does not disclose its financial results. The most recent data available shows that in 2008 the company increased its revenues 6.2 percent to 136 million euros ($166 million) and reported an operating breakeven.

Sources told ANE that the VW takover will be announced at Italdesign’s headquarters in Moncalieri, 15km south of Turin on Tuesday morning.

For more

Source: Car news, reviews and auto show stories

Automatic band sawing machine with numerical control for solid and metal profiles. Also steel, stainless steel, brass, aluminium, copper. Robust, versatile for professional duty.
Multi-function digital controller with piece-counter, piece presetting, work timer, diagnosis and alarm messages. Automatic control over cutting length and sawframe return stroke.
Hydraulically powered multi-feed system moves the material into the cutting zone, reducing indexing time and speeding the cutting process.
Adjustable sawframe downfeed speed.
Cast-iron sawframe on twin tapered bearings and ring nut to provide greater stability.
Precision blade-guide with hard metal pads, bearings and anti-corrosion treatement.
Cutting speeds with electronic speed variator.
The digital controller offers two different operating functions:
Semi-automatic cutting cycle: manual vice adjustment through handwheel – semi-automatic start through control panel switch – the machine carries out a complete cutting cycle including vice locking, sawframe downfeed, cut, sawframe return and vice opening.
Automatic cutting cycle: manual vices adjustment through handwheel – run a program (number of pieces to cut and cutting length are typed in) – adjustment of sawframe return stroke – automatic start through control panel switch – the machine carries out a complete cutting program including material feeding, vice locking, sawframe downfeed, cut, sawframe return and vice opening

We are writing to kindly inform you that from 23th to 27th March we will be exhibiting at MOSTRA CONVEGNO EXPOCONFORT in Milan. We would be very pleased to meet you at our stand L47 – pavillon 2.
Please notice that Systema will present its new range, ENERGY EVOLUTION that will enable you to save on energy and contribute to a less-polluted world.
In particular the following products will be exhibited:
– CASTALIA: a patented absorption chiller with condensation boiler included. Its global efficiency reaches 130% and allows the modulation of the thermal and frigorific power from 20 to 100%.
– SYCON: a patented solar concentrator which produces hot water at 110 C. It can be combined with heating and cooling systems and is perfect for hot sanitary water production as well as for cogeneration and Trigeneration.
– EHR: it is a heat recovery unit with simple and easy installation. Needless to say, this new product is cheap and highly efficient, since it recovers the energy normally released for free in the atmosphere. This product is customer-tailored according to the needs of the end users.
Don’t miss the opportunity to have a look at our absorption chillers, Castalia, EHR and much more!
Waiting to have you as our guests at our stand we remain with our.

Systema S.p.A. is pleased to introduce you the new range ENERGY EVOLUTION!
More and more people are now taking care of the environment and look for the best solution to save money and protect the nature. With SYCON, CASTALIA and EHR today this is possible and easy! These brand-new and innovative products allow you to have an extremely high efficiency without any cost!
Here are some examples:
SYCON, a solar concentratror which produces hot sanitary water up to 110° exploiting the free energy of the sun. It can be combined with heating and conditioning systems. A unique product that will let you feel different!
CASTALIA, its name derives from Greek mythology and it implies purity and genius. Its efficiency can reach up to 130%. Its payback, possible in three-years time, is well worth the purchase. This new system replaces old boilers and electrical chillers and produces both hot water to be used for heating and sanitary purposes and chilled water for cooling.
EHR is a modular enbloc system that allows you to regenerate the thermal energy usually expelled in the atmosphere. EHR works with a fumes temperature of 130°C and is extremely advantageous for recovering thermic energy released during combustion and production processes such as those taking place in smelting-furnaces, glasshouses, warming ovens and much more.
If you want to discover more about these product, please do not hesitate to visit our website: www.systema.it or send us an e-mail at: [email protected].
We look forward to receiving your comments and your enquiries soon!

Also the KIA and Hyundai Motor have chosen the company Systema SpA to heat their buildings in Korea with the radiant tubes OHA. These are only some of the important world references that the company Systema SpA has got, the leader company in Italy and all over the world in manufacturing radiant heating systems also for big areas thanks to its technological choices which allow high energy savings compared to the traditional heating and air-conditioning systems.
The main purpose of all Systema activity is customer satisfaction. An attitude which starts with he design and manufacture of the radiant heating systems and continues with the capillary assistance service which is guaranteed all around the world with timeliness and maximum efficiency.
With the three divisions of products AIR/RADIANT/COOLING the company Systema SpA is able to also guarantee solutions of climatization to a total satisfaction of the client. The range of products Systema are: radiant tubes, radiant strips for poultry farms, water strips, ceramic lamps, warm air heaters, recuperator of renewable energy, gas absorbtion chillers and gas convectors.

Safety Valves Calibration Stand

Application:
Performance test on direct loaded or pilot operated safety valves, such as valves¡¯set pressure, blow-down pressure
¡¤ Valve size: DN 15¡ªDN200mm
¡¤ Test port: 1port
¡¤ Test pressure: 0¡«40MPa
¡¤ Pressure precision: 0.4 class pressure gauge (Higher accuracy is available )
¡¤ Driven air: 6-10Bar
¡¤ Dimension: 1300¡Á800¡Á1200mm

Features:
¡¤ Air-operated pump/booster as the pressure source, and the system equipping with a cylinder allows continuous test.
¡¤ User configuration on testing pressure and rate of pressure rise is allowed.
¡¤ Wide range of high pressure output.
¡¤ All high pressure valves, pump, tubing and fittings made in USA with 316SS guarantee the pressure precision and stability.
¡¤ Most of the liquid and gases medium are applicable.
¡¤ Emergency stop system protects operators and equipment to the utmost extent.

Hydraulic/Hydrostatic Test stand for blowout preventer (BOP), christmas tree, choke & kill manifold.

Features:
· Test media can be water or oil with a wide range of testing pressure from 35MPa-280Mpa.

· The testing process is fully controlled by PC, all the settings and operations could be fulfilled on the control panel, meanwhile, the remote control allows the operators to manually control all the valves without a real site operation.

· Automatic data acquisition supports real-time display of pressure values, flow and time. Testing data can be saved and printed out for further analysis.

· All-round monitoring of test process, and the video archive is available.

· Electrical control strictly sticking to industry standard with sophisticated industrial control computer and data acquisition cards provides more reliable performance and precise data.

· All high pressure valves, tubing and pump made in USA with 316SS to guarantee the test precision and stability.

· Dual pressure releasing devices–PC automatic pressure release & manual pressure release, more reliable and safer.

Design wise they put colours : blue or red for the XU line and green for the XB line, and guarantee their heating performances and their control accuracy.
Ergonomics wise, the new anti-tilting system of shelf supports makes easier for each operator the handling of the shelves when they are hot.
The XU and XB lines show an excellent finish quality: inner casing made of bright finish stainless steel and the outer casing covered with an easy-care smooth and bright paint.
The front of the oven has a style more uncluttered; only the controller and the air change setting button are present. The other control elements are located on the right side. The safety thermostat is handy and the possible defaults are pointed with a visual and sonorous alarm.
The insulation of the XU ovens and XB incubators is optimized: there is no contact between the inner and the outer casings. This favours heat dissipation reducing, a quick heating-up and an excellent thermal stability. The XU universal ovens are insulated with 70 mm of glasswool and the XB incubators with 50 mm of composites fiberglass.
All that at very competitive prices.

… for world’s biggest container ships

Tranter is to equip no fewer than 18 large container freighters with plate heat exchangers during the period up until 2012. These vessels are the world’s largest container ships, carrying an unbelievable 14,000 containers (TEU) per shipment.

The South Korean shipbuilding group Daewoo – the third largest in the world – is currently in the process of putting the finishing touches to a number of top-class container ships. Recently, the first in the series of these ships was delivered to German shipping company Claus-Peter Offen in Hamburg. MSC Savona measures no less than 365.5 metres in length and 51.2 metres in width. Savona’s cargo capacity is impressive: 7,580 containers can be accommodated on deck, with space for a further 6,456 (TEU) below deck. This enormous vessel can still manage a speed of 24.1 knots.

“We’re naturally pleased and proud that we were entrusted with supplying plate heat exchangers for ships including MSC Savona,” says Tomas Sandberg, responsible for European and Asian nautical applications at Tranter International in Stockholm.

The main part of Tranter’s nautical heat exchangers is manufactured in Vänersborg, Sweden. Some are also manufactured at Tranter’s other manufacturing plants in the US, India, China and Germany.

The following equipment is being supplied by Tranter for the 18 ships of the series:
Central F.W. Coolers, Main L.O. Coolers, M/E J.F.W. Coolers,
G/E F.W. Coolers and S/T L.O. Cooler.

About Tranter
Tranter is a global supplier in the development and manufacturing of highly efficient gasketed, welded and spiral heat exchangers. The company has over 70 years of experience and a wealth of knowledge on how heat exchangers can improve processes, save energy and reduce costs. Tranter’s extensive global presence allows the company to work closely with customers and offer local support and service. In every application, Tranter’s heat exchanger technology is contributing to lessen the impact on the environment with higher thermal efficiencies, easier maintenance and greater heat recovery potential.